Month: January 2016

AJ

#27 – Body Pump

#27-body pump

Against my better judgement, I decided to book a Les Mills body pump class at my gym  (which I haven’t been to since last October). Suffice it to say that my soreness and general tiredness in the aftermath of the 45 minute class suggest my fitness is nothing to write home about (or more accurately is non existent). A wake up call if ever there was one.. Sigh

#WakingUp

P.S: Have to say the very pregnant women (2 off) in the class totally owned us…

AJ

#24 – Dancing With (In) The Rain

#24 - woodman francesca

—

She whirls to the rhythm of the rain.
Her dance, light-footed –
A pirouette  – in step with the beat
The light, gentle splatter of rain –
Drops stopped in full flight
By the chipped stones makes.
As the night light catches
The fringe of her costume
She is no longer there.
What we have is the after glow
Of stolen re-memory –
Of Peace and of repose
And the calming lightness
Of the patter of the Rain.

For Mag 303

AJ

#23 – Going Analogue

#23 - Moleskine

My quick wander around Union Square leads me to WHSmith where I trawl the shelves, ultimately failing to find a notebook that calls to me. I do find this A5 sized one with gridded out sheets at Paperchase, one that reminds me of studying Maths in my (Nigerian) primary school days. Truth is my current task management set up (Wunderlist on my phone and Mac) leaves a little niggle – an inability to order tasks n running order. As a work around, I have pulling through the day’s tasks into Notes on my phone, a sort of live action tracker, which is where this new setup shines, replacing the notes app on my phone with a proper notebook. I hope, once the shine of a new notebook and erasable pen wears off that I can continue to do this… Fingers crossed.

Inspired by this. #StrikeThru

AJ

#22 – Be Still My Soul

From time to time, my rather loud, Pentecostal church goes back to basics and sings a communal hymn in place of a choral presentation. Days such as these – I feel – lend themselves more to the more contemplative (or less engaged some would argue) worshipers such  as me. The hymn today was particularly apt, particularly the 3rd stanza given the disturbing news my friend B shared overnight about her loss.

Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Kari Jobe’s done a more contemporary version of the hymn for those of such an inclination.

AJ

#21 – Hard Times

West_Texas_Pumpjack

Not the Charles Dickens book but the state of Aberdeen, the (self-proclaimed?) oil capital of Europe.. The biggest news, from a personal perspective this week, was probably the additional job cuts announced by the likes of BP and ConocoPhillips. All that puts into context a chance conversation with the guy behind the till at the corner shop where I grab the odd packet of biscuit or pint of milk when required. It turns out that he is a Reservoir Engineer, out of work for the last 10 months.

Sobering thought, given the direction the oil price seems to be headed, and the additional volumes Iran is bringing to the table.